Variations on a Theme: Benjamin Patterson’s Scores

Join us for an evening to consider the art and legacy of Benjamin Patterson (1934–2016), a postwar experimentalist of sound and performance. A classically trained double bassist, Patterson increasingly developed an antiauthoritarian sensibility in response to his surroundings: his history is regularly framed by a rift with tradition as a co-founder of the Fluxus movement, which enabled a much needed psychic break from professional barriers created by de facto segregation. Yet Patterson maintained a love of classical music alongside that of experimental music, pushing back against the idea of a clean break. This program will consider the depth of Patterson's artistry by enacting and documenting live performances of work created before Fluxus: String Music (1960) and Paper Piece (1960). Our goal is to center his postwar integrationist sensibility within his art practice.

The conversation will be available on the Getty Research Institute YouTube channel following the event.

Visit the Getty Research Institute's Exhibitions and Events page for more free programs.

Learn about Benjamin Patterson’s Paper Piece (1960) in The Scores Project: Essays on Experimental Notation in Music, Art, Poetry, and Dance, 1950-1975, available for free online.

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